Let’s assume for a sec you have all the money in the world and fancy a trip to Banff National Park. Well, cool, because spending boatloads of cash is no problem at all in Banff. What would be the most expensive way of vacationing in the park? Read on to find out.
Yup, a trip to Banff will drain your bank account. The question is, just how expensive can it get? If you read my post about how much a Banff vacation costs, you know that the average summer hotel price is more than CAD 500. On average.
If you think that’s quite a lot, well, it can get much more expensive. I’ll show you how much it will set you back and what you will get for it. Interested? Plenty of cash to spend? Let’s dive right in.
What Makes Up the Most Luxurious Stay in Banff?
First, let’s define what things you can spend your cash on. The first that comes to mind is hotels. As I mentioned in the intro to this article, they are expensive to begin with. But what about genuinely luxurious hotels?
Secondly, restaurants. Not difficult to squander fat stacks here as Banff has several pricey options for you in its exquisite cuisines, amice. I looked up the most expensive ones for you, so you know where to go.
Thirdly, tours: unique leisurely activities that make you coo with joy and delight. In this field, Banff also has some pretty expensive (and exclusive) ways lined up for you to get rid of your money.
And lastly, the soothing wellness options that no luxury resort can go without these days. Yup, you guessed it, this can get prrrretty expensive too. But hey, you will feel more pampered than ever and you’ll walk away with a glooming, scrubbed skin that’ll make you feel reborn.
By the way, I didn’t include flights to Calgary and car rentals as they are not directly Banff-related. You can make this almost as crazy as you want.
The Most Expensive Hotel Rooms in Banff
We don’t have to look far to find the most luxurious hotel rooms in the park. Fairmont Château Lake Louise has the most extravagantly priced room, followed by the Fairmont Banff Springs and the Rimrock Resort Hotel. The three most expensive rooms of these three hotels are (in order):
1. Fairmont Château Lake Louise – Marquis de Lorne Suite
Shall I be honest with you? Okay, sure. Although the folks at Fairmont might not be happy about it.
First off, the price: this suite is by far the most expensive you can rent in the park. It sets you back a whopping CAD 12,000 per night in the high season.
BUT. For that price, this suite is pretty underwhelming. Is that REALLY all you get? Just to wake up to the – admittedly – stunning view of Lake Louise? And the wonderful and spacious balcony for an excellent summer night appreciation of the lake’s beauty.
Sure, the suite is spacious and luxurious, it has lovely floor-to-ceiling windows, but it is also slightly outdated compared to the current design standards.
When I spend this amount of cash, I want a slightly nicer-looking interior for what Fairmont calls “the pinnacle of luxury”. Interior that I wouldn’t see too much of, by the way, as I’ll be sleeping here most of the time. Because, you know, the park is outside…
On the other hand, if you’re seeking the experience of waking up to one of the most famous sceneries in the world, then yes: this is not bad at all.
Alright, here are some facts and figures about this sumptuous abode:
Price per night: CAD 12,000 (approximately)
Size: 69 sqm (750 sq ft)
Amenities: 1 king bed, 1 1/2 bathrooms,
Sleeps: up to four people
Fairmont Château Lake Louise
Address: 111 Lake Louise Dr, Lake Louise
Phone: +1 403 – 522 3511
Click the video to check it out.
2. Fairmont Banff Springs – the Crown Suite
Another Fairmont jewel is the Banff Springs Crown Suite. Wanna feel like a monarch? This. Is. It. Located on the top floor of the castle-like, majestuous building of the Banff Springs Hotel, this grand dwelling offers much more than the Lake Louise variant described above.
First of all, it’s much bigger and more luxurious (including your own library, a grand piano and a wine bar). While you can say the interior is a bit on the old-fashioned side too, it fits the hotel’s style.
The view from the windows might not be as awe-inspiring as the Marquis de Lorne Suite in Lake Louise, but they are stunning nevertheless, as the views are different from different parts of the apartment. Which is cool.
It’s also much more affordable than the Fairmont top suite in the Lake Louise Fairmont. But if you’re looking into these kinds of hotel rooms, the price doesn’t matter, right?
Price per night: CAD 5,000 (approximately)
Size: 139 sqm (1500 sq ft)
Amenities: two king beds
Sleeps: 4
Fairmont Banff Springs
Address: 405 Spray Avenue
Phone number: +1 403 – 762 2211
Website: fairmont.com
E-mail: banffsprings@fairmont.com
Click the video to check it out.
3. Rimrock Resort Hotel – Suite Infinity
This luxurious hotel sits on the slopes of Sulphur Mountain and is the highest-situated hotel in the town of Banff. It’s like having a home on top of the world. The Infinity Suite arguably provides you with the best views in town.
Its exterior might be a tad bit less exuberant than the two Fairmont hotels in the park, but you’re still no average Joe if you can call the Suite Inifinity your temporary refuge in the Rockies.
Coming with a kingsize bed, a fireplace and a Bose speaker system, this suite strives to make you feel cozy and comfortable during your nightly hours in this paradise-like spot on the globe.
The suite’s interior is slightly more modern than its Fairmont counterparts, but you’ll find the most striking feature of this impressive abode outside, namely, the extremely sizeable balcony.
It’s an impressive 107 m2 (1,152 sq ft), making it the ideal hotel suite for a luxurious summer stay in Banff. How about that for enjoying sunrise or sunset in the Rockies? Glass of champagne, maybe? Chin-chin!
Price per night: CAD 3,000 (approximately)
Size: 74 sqm (797 sq ft)
Amenities: king bed, sofa bed
Sleeps: 4
Rimrock Resort Hotel
Address: 300 Mountain Avenue
Phone: +1 403 – 762 3356
Website: rimrockresort.com
E-mail: info@rimrockresort.com
Click the video of this remarkable suite to check it out. Or check the photos here.
The Most Expensive Restaurants in Banff
With lavish lodging comes exquisite dining. Well, Banff has some outstanding options. Not surprisingly, these are primarily located in the hotels with the most expensive and luxurious suites. You don’t even need to leave your hotel to tickle your taste buds in the most profound way. How’s that for comfortability?
What restaurants we’re talking about? Alright, here they are:
Eden, the Rimrock Resort Hotel
Known as the best cuisine in town, this is a place you want to check out for some exquisite high-end dining. See if the food gives you the idea you’re in the garden of Eden…
Anyway, this classy establishment has been awarded the AAA/CAA 5-Diamond and “Best of Award of Excellence” Wine Spectator awards. Not too shabby, if you ask me.
You can dine here by ordering 3-course (CAD 120) and 5-course menus (CAD 175) and add a Classic or an Eden Wine Pairing to it. They also have vegetarian food options for the 3- and 5-course menus. And then there are some unique enhancements (Japanese A5 Wagyu for CAD 75) and cheeses as well, like the international 3 Cheese Flight, for CAD 35.
Want Caviar Service? Eden has it. Starting at CAD 92, you can dine like a tsar, munching on Northern Divine Sturgeon Caviar.
Oh, probably good to know. The Eden restaurant provides the most stunning views of the town of Banff and Tunnel and Cascade Mountain.
1888 Chophouse, The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel
Well, this is a nice place for some intimate dining with your loved one(s). Winner of the 2019 Open Table Choice Awards and then some, this establishment is a Walhalla for the discriminating food connoisseur.
The restaurant’s claims are pleasing: the green stuff on your plate is farm fresh or comes from their own greenhouse, the meat on your plate is local livestock or game, and if you fancy eating a tasty ocean dweller, it will have been caught in BC or Canada’s East Coast.
Wanna eat Gold Standard Wagyu New York Striploin? Pony up CAD 105 and it’s yours. And what about a Bone-In Ribeye? Shell out CAD 150 will have you chew on some tastylicious bones.
Of course 1888 Chop House has all the right wines for these kinds of exquisite dishes. Italian wine? American? Canadian? Australian? They got it all. Maybe wanna celebrate something? They also have the old-fashioned Dom Pérignon Brut. A bottle goes for CAD 109.
Castello Italiana, The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel
Fancy Italian cuisine that goes beyond carpaccio or a pizza Calzone? Try Castello Italiana. Fancy a Bone-in Milk Fed Veal Parmesan? Masticate on it for CAD 58. Rather try a Halibut Puttanesca? You can chew this fine fish for CAD 55.
Wanna go a bit more traditional? There’s the good-ol’ Classic Ceasar Insalata (CAD 21), which, upon my own experience, I can advise you whole-heartedly. Or try their Summer Risotto (CAD 45). Never can go wrong with that one.
All this comes with a wide variety of splendid wines, obviously. Try the Caymus California Cabernet Sauvignon, straight from the Napa Valley in California, for instance. CAD 54 per glass.
Cocktails start at CAD 18. Too cheap for you? Try the Wild Pechaud Negroni cocktail. Sets you back CAD 22 per glass.
Set in a separate wing on the right side of the hotel, this restaurant makes experiencing exclusive Italian cuisine a delight. Buon appetito!
Waldhaus Restaurant, The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel
The Waldhaus. Bavarian haven. At least, that’s how the Fairmont labels it. Guess they got that right as they serve you nice South-German dishes like Schweineschnitzel (pig schnitzel, for CAD 34), Haus Salad (salad from the house, for CAD 18), Cheese Fondue (from CAD 55) and Apfel Strudel, natürlich (CAD 14)!
Please note the exquisite location of this restaurant is in a separate building bordering the hotel’s golf course, allowing you to enjoy the wilderness around even more.
And also please note the beautiful interior. Not quite truly Bavarian, but stylish nevertheless, to give you a luxurious feeling when you’re feasting on your Bavarian dish.
The Vermilion Room, The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel
Located at the ground level of the hotel’s main building, the Vermillion Room promises a delectable menu (well, maybe not the menu itself, but rather the dishes mentioned on it) for its bar & brasserie.
On it, you’ll find taste bud pleasers like Beef Tartare (CAD 25), Organic Chinook Salmon (CAD 46) and Filet Mignon Rossini (CAD 79). Oh, and the fanciest burger in town? Check. It’s yours for CAD 29.
Beverages? Beers start at CAD 10, wines at CAD 14. Cocktails and champagnes aplenty as well. Start a bit higher, and prices increase significantly if you want something more exquisite. But c’mon a hedonist approach to life is what makes life fun!
Fairview Bar & Restaurant, Fairmont Château Lake Louise
The latest addition to the dining options in the Fairmont Château Lake Louise is the fine Fairview Bar & Restaurant. This place offers sumptuous dishes like Buttered Lobster Fettuccine for CAD 48 and Beef Tenderloin (10oz, 82 AAA Angus Sterling Silver from Alberta) for CAD 82.
Of course they have all the right wines, cocktails and spirits for you, ready to be poured. Emerald Glow Cocktail goes for CAD 21. Jonny Walker Blue Label? They got it for CAD 35 (1oz). A Lagavulin of 16 years appears on your bill for CAD 19 for 1oz.
True wine connoisseurs also would want to check this establishment. Grand cru wine? They got it. Take the Musigny “Vielles Vignes” bottle from 2014, shows on your credit card for CAD 1400. Or how about a Chambolle-Musigny from 2015? CAD 650, and you’ll get an entire bottle for it.
Oh, and you get the stunning view of Lake Louise for free.
The Most Expensive Tours in Banff
While all the luxury is nice and stuff, you ultimately came to Banff because it’s such a gorgeous park, right? So why not explore it with an exclusive, adrenaline rush stimulating tour? There are many.
The most exclusive thing you can do is a private helicopter tour. Soaring above the forests, rivers, lakes and mountains, you’ll feel like you’re the king of the world. Another thrilling option is dogsledding if you fancy visiting the park in winter.
Heli-Hiking
What about Heli-Hiking with White Mountain Adventures? It’ll be an ideal combination of flying and doing some healthy physical exercise.
Your private, professional interpretive Heli-Hiking guide will take you on an 8-minute helicopter ride through Cougar Canyon. You’ll get out on an alpine ridge above the treeline.
The next 2.5 to 3 hours you’ll spend hiking through a remote high-alpine meadow, breathtaking views included. You might spot some wildlife on the way, like bighorn sheep and marmots. And, who knows, a bear. Sounds good to you? Pony up CAD 2300 (for a maximum of five persons), and you’ll get an experience of a lifetime.
Dogsledding
So you want to visit Banff in winter, probably to do some skiing or snowboarding? Why not add to your daily adrenaline rushes the extra special kick of riding a dog sled?
Discover Banff Tours offers the Sunfeather Winterlude, a 4-hour trip on a sled through Canmore’s winter wonderland of Spray Lakes. Feel the force of the dogs pulling your sled across thick layers of snow while you breathe the icy mountain and take in the breathtaking panoramic views.
This unique experience will set you back CAD 1130 for two persons if you want to drive the sled yourself (yes, it’s possible!).
The Most Expensive Wellness in Banff
For the most luxurious wellness experience, we got the usual suspects lined up for you: the Fairmont Banff Springs and the Rimrock Resort Hotel in Banff. In Lake Louise, Lake Louise Wellness will treat you like a king (or queen).
There are many more wellness locations in the town of Banff, but the ones below are cutting-edge.
Willow Stream Spa at the Fairmont Banff Springs
The spa has its location going for it. Of course, what Banff wellness can beat the majestic Banff Springs? It has a stunning spa pool to relax your body in comfortable, warm water and then it also offers several ‘experiences’. Like facial experiences, body experiences and massage experiences.
Prices? A 90-minute Muscle Recovery Deep Tissue massage will cost you CAD 319. There’s also Nature’s True Indulgence, 90 minutes long for CAD 309 (gotta love those fancy names).
You can also get a treatment as a couple. What about the Ultimate Ascent of 120 minutes? Will be billed on your credit card for CAD 799.
Rimrock Resort Wellness at the Rimrock Resort Hotel
The hotel’s wellness offers many therapies like soothing heat, the aid of botanicals known for their calming effects, and the infusion of smells known to heighten your senses.
The hotel claims that all its massages and body treatments are a fusion of traditional and modern techniques.
It goes without saying that this must be the perfect place to unwind body and mind from your hectic job and life. This comes at a price, of course. Wanna follow along? A 90-minute therapeutic massage will cost ya CAD 259. Same price for an aromatic relaxing massage. Timeless facial? CAD 175. There’s much more on their menu. Whatever therapy you like, count on leaving the spa as a newborn.
By the way, you can also undergo the Rimrock wellness therapies as a couple, just so you know.
Lake Louise Wellness
Staying in Lake Louise? You might fancy visiting Lake Louise Wellness to give your body and mind a well-deserved soothing experience.
This is of another level. It’s not about just massages or facials; you can book entire retreats lasting for a few days. And genuinely exquisite ones, for that matter.
How about a Healing with Horses retreat? It promises to get your sparkle back in your life, in case you’ve lost it (have you?). Taking the full retreat, including a room at the Fairmont Château Lake Louise, will set you back CAD 3537.
Modern Mindfulness (‘integrate wisdom teachings into modern life’) and Flow Connect and Restore (‘nourish and recharge your body with energizing and restorative yoga, explore mindfulness meditation’) programs are also on offer. The first retreat will cost you CAD 1857, the second CAD 2700. Both include staying at the hotel.
How’s that for restoring body and mind?
Want to propose to your partner while having a luxurious vacation in Banff, I wrote an extensive post about several special options you have to pop the big question.
This post contains affiliate links and any sale made through such links will reward this site a small commission – at no extra cost to you.
